By inserting the light of īmān into these hearts, these hearts are softened after previously being blocked. Therefore, do not give up. Even if you have struggled your entire life with khushūʿ, have hope and beg Allah ('azza wa jall) to soften your heart and make it receptive to īmān, the Qur'ān and every form of good.
A hard-hearted person will commit the gravest of sins, even blasphemy (kufr). This disease distances a person from the mercy of Allah Almighty and takes away the sweetness of worship. A hard-hearted person will commit sins audaciously.
How do you soften a hardened heart? Sincere dua, quranic recitation, dhikr of Allah, istigfar, durud, etc. soften hearts the most. You might not get quick results, but if you continue doing these deeds consistently, over the time, you will feel that your heart is softer than before.
Purification is achieved through performing sincere supplications, prayers, and acts of charity toward others. We must remember that we will be judged on the Day of Resurrection according to the purity of our hearts and the righteousness of our deeds.
According to Gordon Neufeld, a heart can only be softened with the cultivation of safe and caring attachments with others. It is relationship that offers someone the promise of safety, warmth, and dependence. It is attachment that is the antidote to facing too much separation and wounding.
Start with Prayer and Ask God for a Softer Heart
If you're struggling to put things into words, here's a prayer you can say to ask God for a softer heart: Heavenly Father, I know you have the power to soften anyone's heart. I want to have a softer heart toward you and others.
اللهُمَّ طَهِّرْ قَلْبِي وَجَوَارِحِي مِنْ كُلِّ مَا يُغْضِبُكَ “O Allaah, purify my heart and my limbs from everything that angers You.” All of these are good, appropriate words (to say).
Chapter (26) sūrat l-shuʿarā (The Poets)
Shakir: Except him who comes to Allah with a heart free (from evil). Muhammad Sarwar: except what is done in obedience to God with a submissive heart. Mohsin Khan: Except him who brings to Allah a clean heart [clean from Shirk (polytheism) and Nifaq (hypocrisy)].
My compassionate Lord, Your firmness and chastisements are an act of Your utmost mercy for those who are hard of heart. Please soften my heart, dear Lord, and when I am stubborn and closed, please rebuke me in Your great love so that I will always turn back to You and Your saving message with all my heart.
A hardened heart possesses several recognizable signs. Among the most important of them are: Unwilling to Perform Obedience and Pious Deeds.
Normal aging, conditions such as kidney disease or diabetes, or even physical trauma to the chest can trigger heart calcification—but the exact hardening mechanism is still largely unknown.
The soft heart spreads goodness upon the earth, whilst the hard heart spreads corruption and evil upon the earth. Allah the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate says: “And we have not sent you (oh Muhammad), except as a mercy to mankind.”
A stiff heart occurs when the heart muscle thickens in response to high blood pressure. While initially this thickening helps increase pump function to maintain blood flow to the body, eventually, the pump starts to stiffen and pressure starts to build up in the heart.
A pure heart is the key to attaining nearness to Allah and success in this life and the hereafter. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “Verily, Allah does not look at your bodies nor your appearances, but He looks at your hearts.”
In Islamic thought, the heart is considered the core of human being, encompassing not only physical and emotional aspects but also intellectual and spiritual aspects. It serves as a connection between individuals and the larger, transcendent realms of existence.
Perform wudu (ablution). Pour water over the head three times, and rub the hair so that the water reaches the roots of the hair. Then wash the body, ensuring the water reaches all parts, starting with the right side of the body and then the left, and rubbing it with the hands so that the water reaches the entire body.
(Recommended to touch the area of pain with the right hand while reciting this supplication.) 'As'alu Allah al 'azim rabbil 'arshil azim an yashifika. I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you. (Recommended to repeat seven times.)
He raises the spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:5). He gives new birth (John 3:8). He takes out the heart of stone and puts in the heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19). We should be encouraged that God can take out any hard heart that he has handed people over to.
: to stop having kind or friendly feelings for someone or caring about something. She hardened her heart against him after their breakup. All the discord hardened my heart to politics.
Only God can make him open to the Gospel, and only God can change his heart. You can be sure that Satan will put up a fierce battle for his soul, for Satan doesn't give up easily. But God is stronger than Satan, and even the hardest heart can be overcome by His Spirit.